


A Little Broken, But Still Good

by TallyDubh



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon-Typical Violence, Captain Midwife, Explicit Language, F/M, Hydra (Marvel), Non-graphic depictions of childbirth, Not Canon Compliant, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Timeline What Timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-06-28
Packaged: 2019-05-29 23:09:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15083780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TallyDubh/pseuds/TallyDubh
Summary: While taking down a HYDRA base, Bucky finds his soulmate, and so much more.





	A Little Broken, But Still Good

Bucky skidded to a halt when he heard the harsh scream from the room to his right. 

The Avengers had heard of this HYDRA base some six months ago, but it had taken them this long to find the damned thing. It was well hidden, tucked away in the desert in Arizona. Even with FRIDAY data mining the files dumped by Natasha, they hadn’t been able to find much more than a floor plan and a project name for it. 

Project Genesis had too many horrible connotations for them to ignore, and the base was too big for anything but a full-on assault. It was a sprawling thing, dug deep into the side of a cliff. He’d been paired with Sam of all people, and they’d gotten separated by a blast door. Bucky had been looking for a way back to him when he’d heard the scream. 

“Don’t fucking touch me!” A woman’s strained voice came through the door again, snapping Bucky out of his moment of indecision. It was child’s play to set his left shoulder against the door and heave. It popped open with very little force, even with the lock screaming as the metal warped. The scene he saw before him had his blood running cold. 

A doctor stood over a heavily pregnant woman strapped to a gurney. Scalpel hovering over the distended belly of the woman, the doctor’s head snapped up to stare as Bucky burst into the room. 

“Stay back! Or I kill them both!” The doctor yelled. Bucky froze as a spot of blood appeared beneath the blade. He was weighing his options when the woman spoke. 

“Took you long enough to find me, Bucky.” The pregnant woman said. Bucky’s eyes snapped away from the doctor to stare at her with wide eyes. She was beautiful. Red hair hung in stringy lanks, her face was pale and blotched, her hazel eyes wide and bloodshot. Yet she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. And her words had been scrawled across his right hip since the day he was born. 

“Sorry to keep you waiting, Kitten,” Bucky said. He hadn’t meant to say anything, but the words had simply slipped out. He wondered how he knew his name, but put it aside to worry about later. Right now, he had other things to worry about, like the man holding a knife to her stomach.

“I said stay back!” The Doctor yelled, drawing Bucky’s attention back to him. Rage tripped through Bucky’s heart as his focus narrowed down to that blade. More blood trickled from under the blade and Bucky snarled. Her soft gasp made him freeze, the gravity of the situation weighing on his suddenly. This was his soulmate, and this bastard had a knife to her belly. Was threatening to kill her and the child in her belly. 

Bucky very carefully set his SMG on the ground at his feet, then raised his hands as he straightened until they were clasped behind his head. 

“Alright, I’m staying right here.” His eyes flicked over to meet hers again and he found a fiery rage there that had him wanting to smirk. Her strength of spirit had pride swelling in his chest. To be under their control for who knows how long and still have that kind of fight left in her. 

“Bucky, kill him!” She snapped, her chest heaving. Bucky looked back to the knife held against her stomach and swallowed hard. Could he do it? Could he manage to kill the bastard before he gutted her? Normally he wouldn’t hesitate, but the even smallest chance she could be injured had him staying his hand. 

“Move, so much as breathe and I’ll kill her, and the bastard inside her.” The doctor snarled. Bucky wanted so much to scoff but didn’t dare. How dense was this fucker? Couldn’t he hear the battle raging out there? He couldn’t hope to get out of here, even with her as a hostage. And there was no way for him to get her out of here without moving that knife. Bucky would kill him in an instant if he did. He was stuck, and yet he still thought he had the upper hand. 

“Bucky! If you care for me and what we are to each other at all you will send this bastard straight to hell!” The woman cried. Bucky twitched when her breath ran out of her in a groan and she curled in on herself as much as she could. The muscles in her stomach tightened, and she panted in obvious pain. 

His eyes went wide as he realized that she was in labor, she was suffering through a painful contraction as he and the doctor had a standoff over her. Gritting his teeth, he shifted just two fingers away from the back of his head, reaching for the knife tucked into his vest at the nape of his neck. Slowly, carefully, don’t let the bastard see the movement.

“I will kill her! Do not think I will not!” The doctor nearly screeched. Bucky smirked, a little wicked as he noticed the sweat beading on his face, the way his eyes were wide and wild. 

“Bucky… save the baby.” The woman said. Her voice completely wrecked as tears began to pour down her cheeks. Mixing with the sweat that had sprung up with her last contraction. Bucky felt his heart stop in his chest at those words. 

No! He’d just found her! He couldn’t lose her now! And she was ready to give her life to protect the child inside her. A child that HYDRA more than likely forced on her. 

Before he could do anything, his mind still reeling at everything that had happened in the last few minutes, a door he hadn’t noticed burst open. Sam stumbled into the room, firing several shots back out through the door. 

It gave Bucky an opening as the doctor whirled to face the new threat. His arm moved without him telling it to, gripping the hilt of the knife under his fingers and propelling it in the same motion he used to draw it from the sheath. The knife was embedded in the doctor’s throat before he even completed the turn. The scalpel clattered to the floor a moment before the doctor’s body slumped next to it. 

Bucky was at her side the next moment, his fingers fumbling just a little on the buckles of the restraints. They weren’t even padded, her pale skin red and raw under the rough leather. Sam joined him after a few seconds, working on her feet. 

“Bucky…? What’s going on?” Sam asked, looking between the woman and Bucky. Once her hands were free, Bucky carefully helped her sit up. A jolt of something ran through him when the bare tips of his fingers brushed against her arm. 

“She’s… she’s my soulmate.” Bucky murmured, staring wide-eyed at Sam. 

“Kate, my name is Kate,” Kate said. Bucky kept his left arm around her shoulders as she leaned heavily against him. 

Sam stared slack-jawed for just a moment before his face set into determined lines. Bucky held Kate to him, his attention focused on the two open doors, as Sam checked the IV bag attached to her left hand, then examined the gurney she was sitting on. Bucky heard him curse softly. 

“Alright, the bag’s saline, but the bed doesn’t roll. You’re going to have to carry her. Come on, let’s get her the fuck out of here before Tony brings this place down on top of us.” Sam said, unhooking the bag from the bed. He reached across the bed and tucked it under one of the straps on Bucky’s shoulder. Gently, Bucky slid his arm under her knees and lifted her. Her arms went around his neck as he straightened. 

Bucky had to grit his teeth to keep from snarling. She was so light, too light for a woman in labor. There was no padding on her, something he hadn’t noticed through the billowing hospital gown they had her dressed in. 

She should have been soft and round, but he could feel the pressure of her ribs against his arm, could nearly count the bones in her knee with his flesh hand. A worry he hadn’t had the time to let grow did just that at that moment. Childbirth was a dangerous time for even healthy women. 

“He injected something into my IV. The contractions have been worse since then.” She murmured. Sam’s head whipped around toward them and he strode over to the bed again to grab the clipboard hanging from the end.

“Fuck. They gave her pitocin. We need to get her out, now.” Sam muttered, jerking the papers off the clipboard and stuffing them into the front of his vest. 

They went out the door Sam had come through, stepping around and over the bodies of the HYDRA agents, Sam had shot. Kate kept her face tucked into Bucky’s shoulder as they moved, and they had to stop twice as she panted through contractions. They met no resistance as they made their way toward the exit, where Steve and Natasha joined them. 

He didn’t get the chance to answer the questions clear on their faces, because Kate let out a sharp cry. She’d been mostly silent up to that moment, and Bucky focused on her at that sound. Her hands clutched at him as she panted through pain and Bucky could feel wetness begin to soak through his jacket sleeve as something dripped onto the floor. 

“Fuck! Her water just broke, we need to fucking move!” Sam snapped, his eyes wide as he stared at the floor at Bucky’s feet. Bucky locked eyes with Steve when his hand landed on his shoulder. 

“She’s my soulmate, Stevie,” Bucky whispered, having to swallow hard when a lump formed in his throat. Steve’s eyes went wide and he glanced down at the woman before nodding sharply. Steve laid his hand against her belly when she relaxed, smiling when she lifted her face away from Bucky’s throat to look at him. 

“My name’s Steve. We’re gonna get you out of here.” Steve said. Kate looked him over and smiled knowingly. 

“I know you are, Steve. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Bucky’s brother.” Kate said. Steve rocked away from them, his eyes wide as he glanced up at Bucky. Bucky shrugged, he had no idea how she knew what she did. Kate patted Bucky’s back gently. 

“I’m precog. It’s why these bastards picked me for this program. They wanted a Super Soldier with my abilities.” Kate said, even as she tucked her face back into Bucky’s neck. Steve and Bucky locked eyes. It was a damned good thing they’d gotten here when they did. 

“Let’s get her to the quinjet before she has this baby in the middle of the battlefield,” Sam said from where he was standing at the door. Before Bucky could move out the door, Steve pulled his shield from his arm and helped slip it onto Bucky’s own. Without prompting, Kate slipped her arms from his shoulders and tucked as much of herself behind the shield as she could. It hurt his heart, seeing her seem so small and weak. Setting his jaw when Steve pulled his SIG from his hip, Bucky nodded at his friend. 

The fight to the quinjet was short but brutal. None of them were pulling punches as they crossed the open desert toward where the jet was waiting. They’d almost made it to the jet when Kate’s hand appeared out from behind the shield. She grabbed Natasha by the upper arm and heaved. Natasha ended up barreling into Bucky’s side, half tucked behind the shield where Kate was pushing it out away from him. A bullet hit the shield seconds later, right where Natasha had been standing. Bucky and Natasha stared at Kate for a moment before Natasha smiled.

“Thank you, Kate.” Natasha’s voice was soft as she stepped away from Bucky. It was only a few more yards to the bottom of the ramp. Natasha squeezed Kate’s ankle before turning to find the Hulk. Bucky could hear him laughing and then a rumble as something broke. 

Steve took his shield back and turned to stand guard as they rushed up the ramp. Kate didn’t react to them reaching the jet and Bucky turned his focus back to her. She was tense in his arms, trembling, her lip caught between her teeth. Another contraction. How many had she had during the rush to the jet? She’d been so still and quiet other than when she’d saved Natasha. Keeping her pain bottled up so she didn’t distract those who were fighting. 

Bucky cradled her against his chest as he watched Sam pull the bag from his shoulder and hook it to the bed locked into the middle of the quinjet. Thin blue sheets with white absorbent pads were laid out on the bed before Sam motioned for Bucky to lay her down. He was reluctant to have her out of his arms, but he knew she would be more comfortable on the bed. 

Setting her down, he rubbed her back when she clutched at his tac vest. By the time she had released him, Sam had returned with three of the pillows they kept in a locker for when they needed to catch some sleep on the jet. Bucky helped her get comfortable propped up on the pillows just as the rest of the team came into the jet. Bruce was one of the first, Steve the last, not leaving his position of guard until the rest had loaded in. 

Thor looked between Kate and Bucky before grinning and clapping Bucky on the shoulder. Bruce’s eyes came back to life when he saw her, and he was quick to scramble into real clothing. Sam pulled the papers out of his vest and handed them to Bruce once he was dressed and they were in the air.

“Hello, my name’s Bruce. Can I look through your chart?” Bruce asked, coming into her line of sight. Bucky hadn’t moved from her side, his flesh hand laid on her hip while she clutched at the left one. She was nearly dripping sweat at this point, and her eyes were half glazed. Kate looked Bruce over before smiling tightly. She was only able to nod before her eyes closed and she let out a keening groan. The pressure sensors in his hand lit up as she gripped him like a lifeline as pain rippled through her. 

Steve appeared on her other side, his gloves and helmet gone. His hand slid around Bucky’s to lay against her stomach and when Bucky looked up at him he found his lips moving as he silently counted. A long-buried memory floated back to the surface. Steve had assisted his mother in helping deliver babies back in the old neighborhood. Other than perhaps Bruce, the blonde was probably the most qualified to help Kate at that moment. 

When Kate slumped on the bed, Bucky took a moment to look around the jet. Natasha and Thor were speaking quietly, a conversation that Bucky didn’t bother to try and hear. Tony was strapped into the pilot’s seat, the suit back in its cubby near the back. Clint was standing at his shoulder, watching the readouts. Bruce was sitting in one of the seats along the wall, flipping through the papers in his hands. Sam wasn’t in sight, but Bucky figured he was in the small bathroom, the only place he could be. 

“You’re doing very well Kate. Try and relax as much as you can between contractions okay?” Steve murmured, his hand moving to her shoulder. She was still panting, even as she turned her head to look at him. Bucky was floored at how much trust was in her face, and in the way she held his metal hand as if it was nothing to touch it. 

“Do you have something else for me to wear? I’d really like out of this gown. I haven’t… it’s been a long time since I had real fabric against my skin.” Kate whispered, her voice hoarse. Steve smiled and patted her shoulder before moving away. Bucky brushed the sweat-soaked red hair away from Kate’s face and had to catch his breath when her eyes turned back to him. 

“I knew you’d come,” Kate whispered, her hand raising to tuck some of his hair behind his ear. It had fallen from the tie he used to keep it out of his face in the field. The faith in her words were like a punch to the gut, and he leaned down to press his forehead to hers. 

“I’m sorry it took us so long. That base was a bitch to find.” Bucky whispered, not caring even a little bit when the conversations around them died out. He could feel their eyes on them, knew they were staring. Normally it would have him on edge, snarling at them, but he couldn’t be fucked to care this time. 

“You were in time. I’m okay, and so’s the baby.” She whispered. Steve clearing his throat had Bucky pulling away from her. He recognized the shirt in Steve’s fist as one of his, and he could have kissed his friend for it. 

Working together, Steve and Bucky helped Kate sit up. Slipping the shirt over her head, she pulled it down over her body. Getting the thin hospital gown off her was a little harder, but after a minute Bucky apologized softly. Reaching under his shirt with both hands, he gripped the gown and pulled. It split down the middle of the front with little effort and it was only a little more to pull the two halves out through the sleeves and off her arms. 

“Thank you,” Kate groaned, her hands clenching into fists on the sheet covering the bed. Steve glanced at the clock on the wall of the jet and laid his hand over her belly again. Still counting contractions. The shirt gaped at her throat, was long enough to tuck under her butt and reached halfway down her thighs. It pulled taut over her belly, and Bucky had to swallow hard at the sight of her in his clothing. It also left the black lines of his words on her thigh bare. 

There on the inside of her left thigh was ‘Sorry to keep you waiting, Kitten’ in his neat script. Touching the tips of his fingers to his own words, he had to shake his head to banish the image of how those two sets of words would connect. Now was not the time to be thinking about that. 

“Tony? Can you bring up the files of Project Genesis that you pulled from the computer?” Bruce’s words floated to Bucky’s ears, but he didn’t turn away from Kate. When she sighed with relief he helped her get comfortable on the bed again. Catching his hand in hers again, she settled on her side, her eyes sliding closed. Keeping an ear on Bruce, Bucky tucked the blanket Steve laid over Kate closer around her. 

The noise in the jet quieted, even as a feeling of hushed expectancy and excitement filled the space. It took a moment for Bucky to realize that with the revelation that Kate was his soulmate, this broken family of his had already accepted her. It had his heart tripping in his chest, the knowledge that this wasn’t some strange dream coming on the heels of that revelation. 

“Oh… oh wow.” Bruce’s voice drew the attention of everyone, even Kate, who cracked her eyes open. She didn’t turn to look at Bruce like the others did, but Bucky was certain her attention was on him. 

“What’s up, Brucie Bear?” Tony asked, swiveling the pilot’s chair around so he could look at the other man. Bruce was standing in front of one of the screens near Tony, staring between the papers in his hand and the screens. 

“They… they artificially inseminated her and two others. The other two women… they had complications and were killed after they miscarried. But Kate… she’s the only one who’s managed to carry a child to term.” Bruce said. His voice was far away, more like he was thinking out loud. After a moment of silence as he flicked through a couple more files, his eyes grew wide and he turned them to Bucky. With a flick of his wrist, two images appeared over the bed Kate was laying on. 

“That’s the latest sonogram they did. Yesterday, checking to make sure the baby was in the right position. The other one…” Bruce’s voice trailed off. Bucky tore his eyes away from the grainy black and white image of the baby in Kate’s belly. The other image had his head spinning. It was a picture of him. When he was the Winter Soldier. Under the image, it read ‘Biological Contributor’. 

“What’s that mean, Bruce?” Steve asked, staring at the image of Bucky. 

“It means… they used… Bucky’s semen to impregnate Kate. He’s the father of her baby.” Bruce said. It was like Bruce had punched him in the gut. Somehow he found himself looking down at where his hand was laid over Kate’s belly. Over his child. 

He didn’t know when they started, but he felt the tears roll down his cheeks. When he’d gotten up that morning he was alone save for Steve. He had the rest of the team, but it was still difficult to be around them sometimes. Now, he’d found his own family. His soulmate, and now to find the baby in her belly was his as well. 

Rage tripped in his chest but died quickly. That bastard doctor had died quicker than he deserved. 

“Bucky…” Kate’s quiet voice broke him out of his trance and he looked from her belly to her face. The look of worry on her face had concern tripping through his chest. 

“Kate?” He asked, brushing more of her hair away from her face. 

“I… I feel like I need to push.” Her voice trailed off into a deep groan. Bucky let her clutch at his hand, even as he rubbed her back and gave Steve a wide-eyed look. They were still more than an hour away from the tower. When she’d relaxed once again, breathing hard, Steve laid his hand on her shoulder. 

“Kate? How long have you been having contractions?” He asked. Kate opened her mouth to speak but ended up coughing instead. Sam seemed to appear out of thin air then, a bottle of water in his hand. Bucky took it when he offered and helped her sit up enough to take a couple of sips from it. 

“Since yesterday I think? I’m not sure. I remember them giving me the pitocin after talking about how my labor had stalled out.” Kate whispered. Bucky urged her to drink more of the water. Steve was in motion, but Bucky wasn’t paying attention to him. That is until he laid a glove covered hand on Kate’s shoulder again. 

“I need to double check the baby’s position. I’m gonna press against your stomach, okay?” Steve asked. She nodded and Bucky moved his hand away from her stomach when Steve brushed it away. It took less than a minute before Steve was standing back, chewing on his lip. 

“Steve?” It was Bruce’s voice, and once again he was center of attention. 

“If she feels like she needs to push, it’s not safe to make her wait. The baby’s in the right position, but this isn’t exactly a sterile environment. I mean we’re all still covered in crap from that base.” Steve said, his eyes flicking between Kate, Bruce, and Bucky. 

“Steve, this baby is going to come soon, no matter what we have to say about it,” Kate said. It seemed to make up Steve’s mind because he nodded sharply and stripped the gloves from his hands. 

“Steve, I can do it,” Bruce said, stepping toward them. Steve shook his head and reached behind him to open his suit. 

“No, I’ve probably done this more times than you have. I just need to get out of this suit. I’ve got some clean clothes in my locker. Bucky, you’re going to want to change as well, or strip. We need to get her off her back.” Steve said. Natasha was there at his back, taking over for him as he struggled to lower the zipper on the back of his suit. And Clint was there at Bucky’s elbow. 

“Go, she can hold my hand till you get back, Daddy.” The archer said, waving Bucky away. Reluctantly, Bucky went, even as he reeled at what he’d called him. ‘Daddy’... he was gonna be a father. 

Steve and he took turns in the little bathroom, stripping out of their combat gear and sliding into the spare clothes they kept. Bucky was left with only sweats, Kate wearing the only shirt he’d had on the jet. He did have the cover for his arm on the jet though, a black spandex sleeve that strapped across his chest and covered everything but the tips of the metal finger. Tony had made it for him when he’d drawn blood on Clint during a sparring session. The plates on the arm had shifted and taken a chunk out of Clint’s hand when it got caught between them. He didn’t know why it had been at the bottom of his go-bag, but he was glad it was. 

Letting Steve have the bathroom, Bucky went back to Kate. Clint relinquished her hand back to Bucky without hesitation, shaking out his own hand as he went. Someone had pulled her hair away from her face into a neat ponytail, and there was a damp cloth sitting next to her head. Picking it up, he gently mopped some of the sweat away off her face. 

When Steve returned a lot of things happened all at once. Bucky ended up kneeling on the bed behind Kate, his metal arm around her chest under her breasts, his flesh one gripped tightly in her hand. She was squatted there, her feet planted directly in front of his spread knees. Steve was standing in front of her in a clean tee shirt and sweats, gloves on his hands. Bucky could feel the rest of the Avengers behind him. 

“Alright, Kate. Whenever you feel the need to, you push. I’m just here to catch. You do what you need to, and let Bucky support you.” Steve said. Kate nodded and leaned more heavily against Bucky. The atmosphere in the jet was thick, even as the only sound that could be heard was the engines and the soft breathing of the people. 

Only a minute or so passed before Kate broke through Bucky’s mounting worry. With a low keening groan, he felt her go tense in his arms. Bucky held her, his hand aching in her grip as she worked. When she relaxed, he pressed kisses to her sweaty hair, pulling his hand away only long enough to mop more sweat from her face. 

That first contraction set a rhythm that they followed for several minutes. Kate would relax against him in between pushing with all her might. Her breathing never evened out, and he had to coax her to sip water between contractions. He had no idea what he was doing, didn’t know if he was helping at all, but he wouldn’t leave her to do this on her own. 

He didn’t know when Steve had squatted at the edge of the bed, so it was a shock when his voice came from lower than before. 

“Kate, slow down. Little pushes. The baby’s crowning, if you don’t slow down you’ll tear.” Steve said. When Bucky tucked his chin over Kate’s shoulder he had to bite back a snarl when he saw Steve’s hands on Kate’s thighs. Kate sobbed and shook her head, her nails biting into Bucky’s thigh. It was only then that he noticed her hand against him. 

“Come on, Kitten. You can do this. Just slow down a little. Breathe through it.” Bucky murmured. He felt like he was saying nonsense, but it seemed to help, because Steve was nodding, a grin on his face. Kate’s sharp cry made Bucky flinch.

“There we go, head’s out. Let me check the cord,” Steve said, a grin on his face. His hand disappeared from Bucky view and he had to swallow another snarl. Kate whined and turned her head. Bucky kissed her shoulder when she buried her face into his neck. 

“You’re doing very well, Kate. One more big push when you’re ready.” Steve said, looking up. Bucky and his eyes locked and Bucky was shocked to see tears in Steve’s eyes. His smile was wide and filled with joy though. Kate tensed in his arms and then cried out against his neck, breaking the eye contact between the two men when Steve looked down at his hands. 

“Kate, reach down and take your baby.” Steve murmured, the tears spilling from his eyes. Kate gasped and turned to look down as she did as he said. Bucky gaped as she pulled a tiny, red, slimy baby up to her chest. 

Moving on autopilot, Bucky slid off the bed when Steve waved at him, and the two of them helped Kate settle back onto the pillows. Kate was openly sobbing as she cradled the newborn to her chest, and Bucky couldn’t take his eyes off the two of them. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Steve sling the blanket back over Kate’s legs before he turned to the assortment of tools he’d gathered on a small rolling tray. Hesitating, Bucky ran just the tip of one finger over the baby’s head, not caring about the slime that covered it. 

A cheer rose from the six people behind Bucky, making his jerk around to look at them, groping at his waist for a weapon that wasn’t there. The sudden noise startled the baby into a high squall that echoed in the jet. Kate laughed, and when Bucky turned to look at her she had a brilliant smile on her face. 

“Oh, hello there little one. Welcome to the world.” Bucky’s heart melted as she took the towel from Steve and began wiping the baby down. Bucky felt his legs go weak and he sat down on the edge of the bed instead of falling on his ass. This was… his family. His soulmate and his child. The Universe had given him everything he’d ever wanted, all within a couple of hours. 

Steve’s hand landing on his shoulder had him turn to see his friend, his brother. There was a happy smile on his face, even as more tears ran down his cheeks. 

“The doctors will have to look them over when we get to the Tower, but it appears to be a very healthy baby girl. Congratulations Bucky. You have a daughter.” Steve said. Bucky laughed weakly, only then noticing the tears on his own face. Reaching up, he swiped at them, but it didn’t matter. 

Looking back at Kate, he found her smiling at him, and he couldn’t stop himself. He leaned down and kissed her, gently. 

“Thank you, Kitten.” He whispered against her lips. 

Kate was wheeled to the medical floor as soon as they landed, and Bucky followed close on their heels, not caring at all that he was barefoot in nothing but his sweats and arm cover. He wasn’t letting them out of his sight. The doctor’s checked them both over and pronounced them healthy. 

Bucky cut the cord when the doctor’s prompted, and found himself with a bundle of blankets holding his daughter as they helped Kate pass the afterbirth and get cleaned up. Steve found him there in Kate’s room, sitting in a chair staring down at his daughter in his arms hours later. Kate was asleep in the bed. 

Someone had brought Bucky a shirt, but he hadn’t taken the arm guard off. He was so scared of hurting the tiny creature in his arms. Steve crouched next to the chair and looked at the little girl, fast asleep and safe in her father’s arms. 

“Some day, huh?” Steve asked, keeping his voice down. Bucky nodded slowly, tearing his eyes away from the little one to look at Steve. 

“Yeah.” Bucky murmured. Shifting the baby to one arm, he laid his hand on Steve’s shoulder. “Thank you. For everything you’ve done for us.” 

“Wasn’t a hardship. Just glad it went as smoothly as it did.” Steve said, reaching out to run a finger over the baby’s soft cheek. “She’s beautiful, Bucky. Looks like Rebecca.” 

“Her middle name’s Rebecca. Kate insisted. Kimberly Rebecca Barnes.” Bucky said. Steve looked over at Kate, where she was softly snoring and smiled. 

“She’s a good woman. They’ll want to talk with her, get as much information as they can out of her. And with her being precognitive… a lot of people are going to want access to someone who can see the future…” Steve whispered. Bucky tensed but forced himself to relaxed again when Kimberly whimpered. Shushing the baby, Bucky rose to his feet and lifted her to his shoulder. Rocking gently back and forth, he rubbed her back softly. 

“They can’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want. I won’t let them, Steve. And if they try… I’ll take them both and leave.” Bucky said softly, keeping his tone calm as the baby relaxed against him. 

“Bucky. No one’s going to let them do anything to these two. Natasha has already claimed ‘Aunt Nat’ status with this one. Tony’s already got workers in to remodel one of the empty apartments for you two. This team isn’t going to let anyone mess with them.” Steve said. Bucky turned to look at him and sighed, letting some of the tension bleed out of him. The two of them stood there staring at one another for a long time before Bucky spoke. 

“Do you want to hold her?” Bucky asked. Steve’s eyes went wide taking a step back, and Bucky grinned. It only took a moment to bully Steve into the chair that Bucky had been in and to place the sleeping infant in his arms. 

Bucky stood there watching his brother hold his daughter and felt his world shift. It wasn’t all worked out, he knew that. Kate and he didn’t know each other, but the words on their skin were enough to have them drawn together. He knew he’d stumble with them, knew that he had his own issues that weren’t worked out yet. Kate would more than likely have her own set of problems from being held captive, forced to carry a child. 

But Bucky knew that his life would be better from now on. Looking over at the woman in the bed, he met soft hazel eyes, and couldn’t help but smile. The future was looking much brighter already. 


End file.
